Bread Challenge

For a time, I made all of my bread from scratch and even had a pretty decent sourdough starter going, but when I started working a full-time schedule, I had to let something go. That something was homemade bread. I fell into the habit of buying organic bread, which consumes a large part of my grocery bill. Well, enough is enough. My problem is I haven't been planning very well. I have the time to make bread; I just haven't taken the time to do it. So, my challenge to myself is to start making homemade bread again. My saving grace is my bread machine. I find my machine very functional and time saving for me. I usually use the dough cycle and finish baking it in the oven. Doing it this way avoids the paddle hole in the bottom of the loaf, and let's me shape it into rolls or bake it in a loaf pan for a traditional shaped loaf. Another positive is I can experiment with different recipes to find the ones I like best. Today, I'm trying a jalapeno cheese bread, which I shaped it into hamburger rolls and will use for supper tonight. The hamburgers won't know what hit them. A few days ago, I shaped a batch into rolls, and some were baked for supper and some frozen for later use. And the best part is my bread is so much tastier than what I buy at the store and it's cheaper. Do you bake your own bread? If so, what are your techniques and useful hints?

Another tool I find indispensable is my kitchen scale, which is wonderful for weighing the dough and dividing it, especially when making rolls.

Happy homesteading,


Candace